The City

Adorn the doctrine of God

In his encouraging letter, the apostle Paul gives great advice to Titus, whom he calls a true son in the faith. Our God has chosen to preserve those words for us so that we might be encouraged and exhorted as well. In chapter two, Paul reminds us of the simple gospel message: “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” He emphasizes that the Lord Jesus is God Himself and is capable of redeeming us and purifying us. The gospel is always of first importance in Paul’s mind. He also urges us to look for Christ’s appearing to us again. We eagerly await that day.

But in the meantime, Paul says we are to adorn the doctrine of God in everything. Paul’s desire in his own life was to adorn the doctrine of God by exposing as many as possible to it. Paul believed in the truth of God since he had come to know the one who is the Truth. He assured us that the doctrine he taught was breathed out by God. The many epistles he wrote testify to his passion for sharing the truth.

He recognized that there are many who are not sound in the faith and who turn from the truth. He mentioned those in chapter one and then urged Titus to teach what accords with sound doctrine. He exhorted older men and women to teach younger ones. He desired sound doctrine to be passed on to future generations because he believed so strongly in adorning the doctrine of God.

In addition to teaching sound doctrine, Paul believed that part of adorning the doctrine of God was living in godly ways. He commanded sober-mindedness, dignity, self-control, and soundness in faith and love and steadfastness. He knew, if those things were characteristic of a believer in Christ, that “an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” He ends the chapter by urging Titus to declare these things, exhort and rebuke with authority. Those words are for us today just as they were for Titus.

Believers who have come to know the truth have the opportunity and responsibility to adorn the doctrine of God by sharing the truth. We do that by keeping the gospel foremost. As we discuss doctrine with others, there is no more important truth than the fact that Christ died to redeem us from our sins. May we adorn that doctrine at every opportunity. In addition, we adorn the doctrine of God by our lives. May we live in such a way that we are above reproach from within and without. May we exhort each other to adorn the doctrine of God with godly lives and speech.

Dale

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Comments

Mary Leadbetter

Amen. Thank you.

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Shae Moore

Thank you Dale, beautifully written as always.

Donna Dean

Amen.

Linda Huffman

Yes, thank you Dale.

Redeemer Church

We exist to equip God’s people to delight in His glory and declare that glory to our neighbors and the nations.

For more information, please visit our main site at www.RedeemerFortWorth.org.